The times they are a changing - good or bad

This is my first shot at a blog so bear with me.

In trying to find a voice amongst so many loud and out spoken I have turned to the internet in the hopes that someone, anyone might hear me and agree or at least understand. We live in a nation that's very conception was created by the out casts and those looking for a place where they could eventually have "freedom" to choose ones own destiny. English, French, Irish, Italian, Portugese, etc... all looking for the same promise. Eventually the hard work of our forefathers paid off and this country was born. Now there were absolutely no easy transitions and there certainly was no immediate epiphany or eureka moment when everyone was equal and "Bam" we had a new country. The freedom that we have come to overlook was hard won at the cost of the native people of this continent, the labor of slaves sold into chains by thier own country men and those that chose slavery willingly as indentured servants. The growing pains of this country saw brother killing brother, imprisonment of citizens because of their heritage and commitments of too many a young soldier to wars (police actions) that we never intended to win.

This all being said, I have to ask certain questions.

For the most part I think that probably 80% of the population understands what it took for us to become the leading nation in the world and I think that probably at least as many are proud to be Americans. What confuses me is why the other 20% is so loud...

I watch TV and read the newspaper and it amazes me as to how many people are so dissatisfied with this country. You hear it every day. There is not a pride like there was in my youth. Hell when I was young everybody here was American. Now we have split into subcultures.

Any given week you can drive down the freeway in my town and you will see Puerto Rican flags, Mexican flags and numerous other flags. Turn on the news or just listen in the elevator and you will hear terms like Mexican American, African American, Native American, Asian American and so on. What is wrong with being just an AMERICAN?